The overall aim of the MBRS Support of Continuous Research Excellence (SCORE) Program at the MSC-UPR is to assist faculty to develop competitive research programs, and to increase the number of underrepresented minorities professionally engaged in biomedical, clinical and behavioral research. Goal 1 of the proposed program aims to increase the scholarly and scientific productivity of MSC investigators. Specific objectives of this goal target outcome measurable increases by MBRS SCORE researchers in: the quantity of publications in peer-reviewed journals (Specific Objective 1.1); the number of presentations (Specific Objective 1.2), with most of this growth occurring in national or international forums; the submission and awarding of investigator-initiated grant applications (i.e. R-type, and NSF) (Specific Objective 1.3); the scientific network of supported investigators, by establishing a mentor and/or a collaborative relationship with a scientists in the area of their research expertise (Specific Objective 1.4); and, in the yearly progress towards completing the specific aims of each research project (Specific Objective 1.5). Goal 2 seeks to coordinate the faculty research activities of the MBRS-SCORE with the student, faculty, and institutional development activities of the MBRS-RISE. Its specific objective is to provide to a minimum of two students (graduate or undergraduate) per year the opportunity to actively participate in research in the funded MBRS SCORE laboratories. And Goal 3 will enhance the research environment and infrastructure of the MBRS SCORE to support the projected increased research activity and productivity of the faculty. In specific we propose to establish an MBRS-SCORE sponsored Seminar Series (Specific Objective 3.1), in topics germane to the research interest of SCORE Program investigators; and, maintain continuous support of the Molecular Biology CORE Lab facilities by continuing to provide access to research-support personnel (Specific Objective 3.2). The 25 projects (20 regular and 5 pilot) being submitted as part of the program include basic and clinical biomedically related research projects from faculty in the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Pharmacy, and Allied Health Professions. The proposed MBRS SCORE Program in its configuration unites a cadre of investigators from areas such as molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, cell biology; microbiology, immunology, neurobiology congenital malformations, pharmaceutical sciences, and epidemiology and biostatistics. Their individual and combined efforts address a vast army of health conditions that primarily disproportionately affect minorities, such as: genetic disorders, HIV, Hepatitis C, mental depression, asthma, dengue, malaria, and cancer.